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59. Was Professor Bickerton engaged at any time at the school?— No. 60. Did students come to Christchurch to attend his lectures ? —No. 61. Then he did not contribute in any way to the work of the school ?—No. [Mr. Ivey's letter to the Board, dated the 13th December, 1880, was here read (Appendix G).] 62. Have you not had a farm-manager or overseer? —I had once. 63. Why were his services dispensed with?— From motives of economy. I considered 1 could dispense with him better than others. 64. In your opinion, has the working of the farm suffered through dispensing with a general farm-overseer ?—No. 65. How many students are there at present at the school?— Seventeen in residence now. 66. What has been the maximum number since the school was established?— Forty-one. 67. How many students is there accommodation for ? —Fifty. 68. To what cause do you attribute the decrease ?—I consider the raising of the fees has led to this result. The fees were originally £40. In March, 1884, they were raised to £45, and in February, 1885, to £65 per annum. The fees were raised in the face of the agricultural depression then existing, which made matters worse. See my report to the Board, 26th April, 1886 [Appendix J] . 69. Had yon any reply to that report?— No. 70. What is your opinion as to the present fees as compared with the former? —I think the present fees too high to attract ordinary farmers' sons. I would prefer a system of scholarships. 71. Why were the fees raised? —The Board made a loss on every student, and could not make both ends meet. The committee considered the best way to meet the difficulty was to raise the fees. 72. The present charges are £65 per annum: how much is paid for the keep of each student, and how is the balance allocated ?—£4s is paid for the board of each student; the balance goes to the general account of revenue and expenditure. 73. Do you cater for the students ? —Yes. 74. Has this arrangement been a satisfactory one?— No. In my letter to the Board in January, 1883, I asked to be relieved of it. My original agreement was to cater for the students at £50 each; but at the request of the Board I agreed to accept £45, which resulted in a loss to me. The committee made inquiries and examined my accounts, and made me an allowance. In 1885 I again reported that the arrangement resulted in a loss to me. On the 10th April, 1888, I furnished the Board with a statement showing what the boarding of the students cost me. 75. Does the amount paid for catering cover the cost of servants' wages ?—Yes. 76. In your opinion would it be better if the catering were done by the Board ?—Yes: it would be possible to do with a plainer bill of fare, and by using the produce of the farm the cost might be further reduced. 77. What agreement exists between the Board and yourself regarding the produce of the farm which is consumed in the College ?—ln 1880 the Eegistrar of the Canterbury College was instructed to ascertain what were the contract prices being paid by the public institutions, such as the Hospital, &c, for butter and milk, which was found to be Bd. per pound and Bd. per gallon respectively all the year round, and these prices were fixed by the Board as those to be paid by mo for what was supplied to me. 78. When butter was selling at sd. and 6d. per pound, you were paying Bd. ?—Yes. 79. From whence is the meat-supply obtained?— From the local butcher until recently. 80. Why not from the farm ? —I think it should be from the farm: the only reason is, that while the Director caters for the students he might be accused of getting it too cheap. Since the end of last year we have killed on the farm, but only a few sheep. 81. What is the general curriculum and course of lectures delivered? —The course of instruction and syllabus of lectures is stated in full in the prospectus of the school which I produce [Appendix F]. 82. What is the length of the course of instruction, and how is the time apportioned—how much in the lecture-room and how much on the farm ?—The time-table is shown on page 11 of the prospectus [Appendix F]. 83. Do you consider the alteration from three years to two-years a desirable arrangement?— I would prefer three years, but students often cannot stay three years; the best generally left at the end of two years. The alteration was made at the time the fees were raised, it being considered that the total cost would be no more than for three years at the lower rate. 84. How many students have obtained final certificates since the establishment of the school ? —Twenty-eight. 85. Do you know how they are at present engaged?— Eleven are managing farms, or on their own farms, four are on farms in various capacities, four are at other work, four have just left the school, two are absent from the colony, three I have no knowledge of. 86. Have any scholarships ever been offered?— Yes, when the school was first opened. 87. Why were they discontinued?— Because the school was full, there being only accommodation for twenty students at that time, and the Board considered it unnecessary to go to the expense of providing scholarships when the place was full without. 88. Have scholarships been taken up since ?—No. 89. Do you consider the system of scholarships as inaugurated, if carried out, would have conduced to the welfare of the school ?—Decidedly so; but they should be limited to boys from State schools, and intended for farm-work. 90. How are students at present admitted—by examination or without?— There is no restric- . tion. All that is required is an undertaking to obey instructions and to comply with the rules and regulations. 2—E. 7a.